100 Cars That Changed History

“Shelby AC 427 Cobra vl blue” by Stahlkocher – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

1. AC Cobra 1965–1967 United Kingdom/United States

The AC Cobra, or the Ford/Shelby AC Cobra as it was sold in the United States, is an icon of racing cars and a collector’s car of which replicas are often built. The American-engined British sports car began production in 1965. American automobile designer Carroll Shelby approached AC about building a car that would accept a V8 engine. Once AC agreed, Shelby approached Chevrolet about providing the engine for the new car. Not wanting competition for the Corvette, Chevrolet declined. Ford was eager to compete with the Corvette, however, and made a deal to provide their new small block V8, 260in3 engine for the Cobra. Available in both racing and street models, the Cobra is a sexy, sleek sports car and represents both British and American craftsmanship.
*Car of the Century Finalist